Pieces of Nine
by ShutterBug2003
Summary: Nine boys, nine dates and nine first kisses. The guys finally have their chance to have some time alone with Sang. Each guy choosing the date and taking Sang along for the ride, leaving her with a piece of them to keep. This story follows each of their dates together and the fun that everyone has in between.
1. Chapter 1

**Part One**

"Sang sweetie, wake up." A soft stroke of a finger across my cheek

"Sang... Sa-ang!"

"Come on Peanut, time to get up." Nathan nudged my arm as he whispered gently in my ear.

My head was still fuzzy. I rolled onto my stomach, trying to ignore all the early bird testosterone in the room. With all that had happened over the past few days, I had needed last night's sleep, and badly. I knew my boys were eager to start their day, but at the moment all I could worry about was more sleep. "Mmmpff. Go 'way."

All I heard in response were giggles, belonging to more than one person. Didn't they ever sleep? I knew the answer to that was no. Not my academy boys. They were awake with the sun. Maybe even before that.

"Oy! Trouble! Roll that cute ass up outta bed." All of a sudden I felt the air shift, followed by a resounding thwack. Seconds later a slight stinging from my behind let me know that Gabriel meant business.

"Hey! You better fucking watch yourself, Gabe! Don't touch her like that." North. I rolled further away from Nathan's strong arms and onto to my back, grumbling over the sounds of the others' protests to my latest morning alarm system. They were obviously not pleased with Gabriel's spanking. It didn't hurt, not really. I huffed loudly in display of my objection of the early hour. Stumbling out of bed, I found my way to the bathroom.

Feeling more awake after my bath and brushing my teeth, I quickly changed into a pair of jean cutoffs and a pink tank top and made my way toward the kitchen. I secretly crossed my fingers that we were going to be taking it easy today. I just didn't know if I could handle another day of playing cops and robbers. It was time for a break. I just prayed I wasn't the only one who thought so.

I looked up as I rounded the corner and froze. All the boys were there and all eyes were focused on me. My finger hovered over my lip. Why were they looking at me like that? Did I do my hair wrong? Was my shirt on backwards? Self-consciously, I looked down to quickly scan my outfit. Everything looked ok. I glanced back up to see them all smiling. "What's wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?

"Miss Sorenson," Although I'd caught a glimpse of him moments ago, Mr. Blackbourne's smooth voice still took me by surprise. "It's come to our attention that you've asked for time with each of us alone for your birthday." He turned his sharp gaze on the rest of my family. "Unfortunately, this birthday request of yours has caused quite the stirring. Each of the boys wants to take you out, and each of them feels he should be first." I snuck a glance at the boys and several of their cheeks tinged a slight pink at Mr. Blackbourne's revelation. Was this true? Were they fighting over who got to take me out first for my birthday? I didn't want them fighting. Not over me. Not over anything. I swallowed my nerves. I had to say something

"What is it you want me to do?" I could feel the fire ignite under my skin as soon as the words left my lips. This was so very awkward. What could I possibly do to fix this?

Mr. Blackbourne cleared his throat and tugged at the knot at his tie. It did look a little tight. "Well, we were thinking… that is to say…-" Mr Blackbourne was nervous? What was going on?

"Who do you want to go out with first, Trouble?" Gabriel looked up at me from his seat. Apparently he was a little impatient with Mr. Blackbourne's attempt at subtlety.

My mouth popped open in surprise. "You mean… you want me to pick?" My finger immediately found my bottom lip. How was I going to pick? It was going to be impossible! "I can't do that. I mean… it's not… how?" I was at a loss.

Nathan jumped to my rescue. "I have an idea. We'll draw numbers." As he was talking, he searched for some paper and a pen. "Someone grab a bowl." Luke jumped up, eager to help. It took him a couple tries before he found the right cupboard. Nathan shoved the paper and pen towards me with a heart stopping smile. "Here 'ya go Peanut. Just rip the paper into 7 equal squares-"

"Ahem." Dr. Green cleared his throat. We all turned our heads in his direction, a little surprised at his interruption. "Well now, boys. I can't let you have all the fun. I want to play, too!" Dr. Sean's grinned cheekily. He really wanted to take me out on a date? This was unbelievable. "Better make it eight equal pieces." A couple of the guys grumbled in complaint.

A few side conversations started while I went about my task. It warmed my heart to listen to the boys talk amongst themselves. For one perfect moment there was no Volto, or Mr. McCoy or Mr. Hendricks. It was just our little family. Just the way I wanted it to be. It was perfect.

I was busy tearing the paper into long equal strips when I felt a warm presence to my right. I tried to inhale without making myself obvious; I didn't want to appear like a total weirdo. Spring soap. Mr. Blackbourne. Slowly, I lifted my eyes to meet his penetrating gaze. "Miss Sorenson, " he breathed. " You better make that nine equal pieces." Instantly, I froze. My mouth popped open in surprise. The conversations around us ceased. When I was able to, I glanced out at the group around us. They looked as shocked as I did. It appeared that no one knew how to react. Hesitantly, I looked back to Mr. Blackbourne. Was he being serious? He gave a slight nod of encouragement, and as I did as he asked the corner or his mouth lifted ever so slightly. It looked like some of the boys wanted to protest, but no one went against Mr. Blackbourne. Ever.

My hands shook as I finished tearing nine equal pieces of paper and writing the numbers one through nine onto each one. I grabbed the bowl from near Luke, who smiled and winked at me when I caught his eye. It helped relax my tense nerves and I smiled at him in return. I turned my back on the boys and carefully folded each piece of paper and added it to the bowl. Shaking the bowl a few times to mix up the contents, I once again faced the group. "Who picks first?"

A chorus of "Me!" and "I do!" rang out all at once. Pushing and shoving to get to me first started almost immediately. It was slightly overwhelming and I took a step back as a buffer. My face was in flames at this impossible situation. "How about this? Let's have you choose in alphabetical order by your first name?" I nearly whispered the idea. I really didn't want to upset anyone.

Gabriel hooted, "Alright Trouble, Let's do this!" He clapped his hands together and rubbed them together enthusiastically. He was first in line. Slowly, the others shuffled to their respective spots in line. I caught Victor's eye and smiled apologetically. "It's ok, Princess. I don't mind going last." His words were honest and his fire eyes helped to reassure me.

Gabriel, Kota, and Luke all chose their pieces and walked off to the side to allow room for the others. None of them made the move to open their slip of paper. In silent communication, they all had decided to wait until everyone had their piece.

Nathan approached with a "Peanut.' in greeting. I nodded back, "Honey." Nathan refused to break eye contact as he lowered his hand into the bowl and pulled out his own small piece of paper. North was next. He too greeted me as a confidently approached. "Morning Sang Baby. Are we having fun yet?" He smirked devilishly and it had the power to shake me. I could only nod in response. I couldn't make my mouth form words. North chuckled to himself as he plucked his number from the bowl.

Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Sean, oddly enough, each chose their pieces without a word. However, Sean did shoot a flirty smile at me as he walked away. Sometimes I honestly thought that these boys were on a mission to turn me into a puddle of mush. They had the ability, there was no doubt. Only two left. I turned to a waiting Silas. He spoke to me as he approached, "Anypomonó̱ gia to rantevoú mas mazí, Aggele mou." I hadn't a clue what he said, but it caused my insides to tingle. Faintly, I heard North scoff on the periphery. I could do nothing but hold the bowl towards Silas. There were only two pieces left. He stared at them both as if this were the most important decision he could make. Slowly, he reached in and plucked out the second to last number and retreated to the sidelines.

Victor didn't have a choice and I felt bad. He must have seen it in my expression because Victor strolled forward, standing directly in front of me and snatched up the last piece from the bowl as if he had wanted the very one from the beginning. He smiled softly at me as he ran his finger along my cheek and back away towards the group. Instantly, I blushed.

As Victor reached the group, I let out a deep breath. Here we go. Cautiously, I turned on my heel towards the group. I wasn't going to give the order.

"On three." Kota ordered. "One, Two. Three." All I heard was the sound of nine boys opening their little pieces of my future. Our futures. Their groans, sighs and cheers filled the air.

"Alright. Count off …going backwards starting with nine." Mr. Blackbourne directed. "Which is me." He added resolutely. The look he flashed me held promises I wasn't sure I could hold him to. He, literally, made my knees weak.

"Eighth" Luke called off. Providing a distraction and saving me from falling on my face.

"Seventh." Dr. Sean smiled proudly.

"Sixth." North.

"Fifth." Kota.

"Fourth." Gabriel seemed pleased, even though he wasn't first.

"Third." Victor.

"Second.' Nathan caught my eye and grinned brilliantly. He was beautiful.

Everyone turned to Silas while he turned towards me. I couldn't look away as his eyes scorched over me. I could feel his heated stare lick my skin and light me from within. "First."

"Tomorrow, Aggele mou…" his strong voice the only thing holding me up. "You're mine." Only to knock me right over.


	2. Chapter 2

Without having to be told, the group made their way towards Nathan's. After that morning's events, things were going to need to be discussed. Reluctantly, they left Sang at her home so that they could take care of some family business, under the guise of 'official Academy business.

Once all the boys, and Dr. Green has settled into their various spots around the living room, Mr. Blackbourne called the start of the meeting. "Ok gentleman. Let's calm down and get to work." He was down to business. "I realize that this morning's activities were rather … inspiring. However, it is obvious that this situation merits a few new ground rules." Groans and muffled protests were heard around the room.

"More rules? Don't we have enough already?" Luke was not happy with this revelation and wasn't afraid to voice his objections. It's not that he wanted to take advantage of Sang, but there were things that a boy naturally wants to do with a girl he was attracted to, and Luke was very attracted to Sang. A couple of the other boys agreed.

"What more rules could there possibly be to add?" Silas queried. His date was tomorrow night and Silas planned to make the most out of his position as 'first'. Maybe there were a few other firsts he would be able to claim from the evening as well… his thoughts began to wander, filled with the possibilities.

"The fact that each of us has the opportunity to start spending time alone with Miss Sorenson, does not mean that we get to take advantage of our position." Mr. Blackbourne made sure to make eye contact with each of the boys at this point, including Dr. Green who made sure to return the gaze with a look of pure innocence. Mr. Blackbourne wasn't fooled. He rolled his eyes, when Sean gave him a playful wink. "It's imperative that she remain comfortable at all times, and that Miss Sorenson always feels safe and protected when she is with any of us, at any given time. We wouldn't want to scare her away or give her any reasons not to trust us." That made each of the boys stop and think. No one wanted to lose her and at this point they were all willing to do anything required to keep that from happening.

"Well, no fucking shit, Mr. Blackbourne." North blurted out. His comment earned a sharp look from the very person North had directed his comment toward. "I'm sorry, sir. No disrespect, but I think it's safe to say that at this point we are all willing to do whatever it takes to keep her in our family. No one wants to scare her away." The boys all nodded their heads in acquiescence.

"Yeah, Mr. B. We're not idiots." Nathan grumbled. "We haven't scared her off yet, have we?" It was all rhetorical. He didn't want to admit it, but he was kind of insulted.

"But, damn it! How are we supposed to show her how we feel, if we aren't allowed to make the first move?" Gabriel was approaching maximum frustration. He bounced his knees in pent up frustration. Already, Gabe felt at such a disadvantage when it came to Sang, especially when compared with the other guys. "I mean, shit. If we have to wait for Sang to make the first move, then I'm gonna go stark raving mad." Without even looking, Luke reached over and bumped fists with Gabriel. He felt the need to show his solidarity, "Either that, or spontaneously combust." There were a few snickers around the room, and a couple murmurs of sympathy.

Victor glared at the two, "Watch it guys. Just because she isn't here doesn't mean we stop treating Sang with respect."

Kota cleared his throat. "Maybe we need to hear what Mr. Blackbourne has in mind, before we get too upset." Diplomatic as always.

Mr. Blackbourne took a deep breath. "Take it easy on 'em, Boss." joked Dr. Green, which earned him a withering look from Mr. Blackbourne. "Obviously, our previous Rule Number Two, which was no intimate date locations unless Sang suggests otherwise, no longer applies. She has expressed her desire to spend the day with us doing things that we love to do. If this happens to be somewhere in an intimate setting, then so be it. Again, just don't take advantage." He smiled to himself. Owen already knew where he wanted to take Miss Sorenson. In his opinion, their date couldn't come soon enough.

"However, Rule Number One is still in effect…" The room erupted into shouts of protests, but Mr. Blackbourne had been prepared for this. Patiently, Owen waited for the room to settle and the grumbling to quiet down. "… mostly." This brought everyone up short. All eyes snapped to attention. Mostly? What did that mean?

"You're going to spend a significant amount of time alone with Miss Sorenson. This allows time for you to get close and naturally situations are presented. Nevertheless, I expect you to take things slow. Miss Sorenson is still very inexperienced" he stressed "and you wouldn't want to push for something that could traumatize her." The boys were elated. Mr. Blackbourne's revelation opened a world of possibilities that each of the boys, and even Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne, himself, greatly anticipated.

"Fuck yeah!" Gabriel hooted and high fived Luke. Both boys had wide grins plastered across their faces. Eyes alight with visions of their first kiss with Sang.

"Now just wait one damn minute. This doesn't mean you get to paw all over her. Keep your filthy mitts to yourselves." North bellowed above the silent celebrations going on around the room. Dr. Green nodded, "That's right gentlemen. Hands to your selves… hand holding aside."

"That's correct. Everything you've done with Sang up to this point is still ok." Mr. Blackbourne clarified. "Now, old Rule Number Three is now New Rule Number Two: No dating other girls, and no new dogs. Do any of you need reminders why? No? Good." Mr. Blackbourne continued to lay out the new rule system, " Rule Number Three: Absolutely no overnight dates. We always return to our own homes, or to the group, at the end of the night. If she needs someone to stay with her, call someone else. This is for Sang's protection, and for our own sanity." There were multiple titters from around the room. "Which brings us to Rule Number Four: Just because I've given the go ahead for _possible_ kissing, there is in no way to be any sexual activity of any kind." A few of the guys grunted their disapproval of this, while other's faces flushed pink. "Sang is wholly innocent and she tries too hard to make everyone happy and I see this as a potential danger zone. Stay away from it." There were nods all around, some more reluctant than others. He would get to arguments from any of them, as hard as it would be.

"Just as before… any jealous squabbling, any sabotaging dates and I'll call this whole thing off." Mr. Blackbourne gave each family member a good look. This had to work. They would make it work. He would do whatever it took to keep Sang with them.

Dr. Green, "Again, I call for a unified agreement. Kota, what say you?"

Kota took a deep breath, "I am willing, and I will obey."

"I too, am willing and I will obey." Victor agreed.

Gabriel was next. With a cheeky grin on his face, he too announced, "I am willing and will obey."

"I am willing," Luke stated, "and I will obey."

Silas was next. "I am willing, and I will obey." His grin was warranted. Silas was thinking about his date, and the potential first kiss he was going to share with Sang. Nothing could bring him down tonight.

"I am unwilling," Again North couldn't just go along with the group, and he grumbled "but I will obey." He wouldn't admit it, but he had been hoping to be Sang's first kiss. North's hopes had been dashed during the course of their family meeting. He felt the need to take something apart.

"I am willing, and I will obey." Nathan closed the official meeting with his words. His jumped from his seat "Now, can we go back and hang out with Sang? I miss my Peanut." He smirked and ran for the door, with the rest of them hot on his heels, pushing and shoving as they went.


	3. Chapter 3

My morning started bright and early, with a chirp from my phone. Instantly, my face lit up with a smile. One of my boys was texting me! North had stayed the night with me and I tried my best to roll out of bed without disturbing him too much.

Silas: Good morning, Aggele Mou. I'll be spending the morning preparing things for our date later this afternoon. Be ready to go by 3 p.m. Gabriel should be coming over sometime to help you get ready. I cannot wait to see you!

My smile threatened to split my face near in half. Silas was excited for our date this afternoon! He would be here in a little over 8 hours to pick me up. Suddenly, my stomach was filled with butterflies. I would be spending the afternoon, and possibly the evening, with Silas… alone. Alone! I've spent time alone with the boys before, but this was an entirely different situation. What was I supposed to do on our date? How was I supposed to act? What was I supposed to wear? So many questions! I thought I was going to be sick. Maybe a nice bath would help calm me down. I picked a comfy pair of pink lounge shorts and a fitted white t-shirt to wear this morning. If Gabriel was coming, then I knew he would want full control later. In fact, I wouldn't even bother to wash my hair. He'd for sure want to do that, too. I headed to the bathroom on shaky legs.

I filled the tub with water and began going about my morning routine. In the middle of washing, there was a gentle knock on the bathroom door.

"Good morning, Sang Baby. I'm just going to head down and make myself something to eat. Can I fix you anything? What would you like?" North's voice was still rough with sleep, and I liked the way it sounded.

"I'm ok, North. I'm just going to have a yogurt and maybe some toast. Thank you though." I went about trying to finish my bath. I heard him huff in irritation.

"Baby, that isn't enough. You need to eat something substantial, like eggs and bacon. Are you feeling ok? Is something wrong?" His voice sounded a little desperate towards the end. I heard the door knob start to turn.

"North, I'm fine. Maybe just a little nervous about later. That's all. I'm ok, really." I was worried that he might come in and see more of me than I wanted at the moment. I was hoping the tone of my voice would let him know that he didn't need to come in but he didn't listen and popped into the bathroom before I could stop him. I quickly turned my back and pulled my knees to my chest, but it didn't matter because his eyes were closed.

"Sang. Everything's going to be fine. What are you nervous about? Tell me what I can do to help." North leaned back against the sink. With his ankles crossed and arms folded casually against his broad chest, I couldn't help but think how attractive he was.

"Well, for now, you can keep your eyes closed. I'm finished with my bath and need to get out." Slowly I stood up from the bath and watched as North squeezed his eyes shut so tightly that his entire face scrunched with the effort. Slowly, North swallowed and I watched his Adam's apple move up and down his strong throat. Was he nervous? What did he have to be nervous about? I was the one standing in the bathroom as naked as the day I was born. Quickly I grabbed a towel from the closet in the bathroom and covered myself.

"It's ok now. You can open your eyes, North." When his eyes opened, they were trained on me. I felt like he was measuring me. Looking for something, but what that was, I didn't know. There was a darkness to his eyes. It wasn't mean, but something else. Something I didn't have words to describe, but I couldn't look away. Abruptly, he straightened up and stiffly walked from the bathroom straight downstairs where I heard him opening the fridge and banging pots and pans around.

After I had changed and pulled my hair up into a messy bun, I stumbled down the stairs and made my way to the kitchen. There sitting on the counter next to North was a plate of eggs, bacon and toast. North was busy finishing up the last bite from his own breakfast and nodded towards the plate- indicating it was for me and to get eating. Something seemed a little off with I walked over to North and looked at him questioningly. I didn't like it when any of my boys were upset, especially if they were upset with me. North's eyes softened and he gave me a little smile to let me know that everything was ok. That little smile filled me with so much happiness, and I wanted to let him know. Carefully, I reached my hand up and placed it on North's shoulder to steady myself as I stood on my tiptoes. Without breaking eye contact, I moved my face close to North's jaw, closing my eyes at the last second and gave him a soft kiss right where his jaw and neck met. I heard him take in a short breath, and he stopped moving. Slowly, I moved away to look him in the eyes once again, asking with my own if that was ok.

He answered by turning towards me and gently cupping my face with his large hands. He made me feel so tiny. I grabbed his wrists to keep myself upright. The look in his eyes told me that my kiss had been more than ok. It was welcomed and treasured. North traced his fingers down my cheeks until his hands were resting on the sides of my neck. It felt good. It made me feel safe. His hands were warm and tender- things one didn't usually associate with North. Keeping his eyes on me, little by little, North lowered his lips toward the corner of my mouth. There he lingered, and I could feel his warm breath washing over my skin. It made my heart race, and my skin tingle. It was wonderful. I felt his lips press to my skin, and I was on fire. My eyes closed in the pure bliss of the moment. Gradually, he lowered his arms to wrap them around my waist and naturally, I reached up to wrap myself around North's neck. As his face was pressed to my neck, I heard him inhale. It sounded peaceful. Content.

North pulled away enough to sigh. "Sang Baby, what am I going to do with you?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Oy! Trouble! Are you ready?" Gabriel came barreling through my front door a little after 10 o'clock that morning.

North and I were snuggled on the couch watching a movie and we both glanced toward the entryway upon Gabriel's exclamations. I tried to sit up, but North's arms were unrelenting. He kept me pressed into his chest and released a slight huff when he felt me try to get up once more. I turned to him, and kissed his cheek softly. "North, please?" Another grunt from North, and he reluctantly let me go.

Gabriel rounded the corner into the living room with a smirk on his handsome face, his eyes a light with his teasing.

"Ready for what? Are we going somewhere?" I was a little confused. Wasn't tonight my date with Silas?

"Hi Meanie!" I was so happy to see him. I'd seen him not even twenty four hours ago, but that was still too long. As I ran toward Gabriel, he dropped the bags so that he could catch me when I leaped into his able arms. Gabriel tightened his hold on me and turned his head towards my neck. He breathed a deep sigh, releasing me back to the floor.

"Hey, my beautiful girl. I'm here to get you ready for your hot date!" He wiggled his eyebrows at me suggestively. "Now march that sweet ass back to the couch while I gather all the stuff that I need." All the stuff that I needed? What exactly was going to be happening tonight? When I asked Gabriel if he knew, he popped me on the thigh. "Stop asking questions. You don't need to fucking worry about it. I have everything under control." He gave me a wink and nodded his head toward the couch. Telling me to just listen and do what he says. I huffed in exasperation. When weren't these boys hiding secrets from me?

North stood as I was heading towards the couch. Sweetly, he kissed me on the cheek. "I've gotta head out Sang Baby. I'm helping out at the diner during the lunch shift." I pouted out my bottom lip. It didn't matter how long I got to spend with the boys, it was never enough. North gave me a tiny smile. "I'll be back later. Promise." All I could do was nod my head at him. "You!" He pointed his large fist at Gabe. "Behave and keep your fucking hands to yourself. If I hear about any funny business going on while I'm gone, I'm gonna kick your ass." With that, he strode out the front door towards the diner. Gabe just rolled his eyes, and sent me a conspiratorial grin.

"Alright Trouble." He clapped his hands together and rubbed them as if he were trying to warm them. "Let's get busy!"

Nearly four hours later, I'd been scrubbed, primped, polished and coiffed to perfection- according to Gabriel anyway. He had washed my hair and styled it in loose curls that were casual bit still very pretty. My toe and finger nails were painted a soft pink and my makeup was light and natural. When I looked in the mirror, I was pleased with what I saw. Gabriel had done an amazing job. Sometimes I wonder if he might just be magic.

Luke and Nathan had showed up over the course of the morning and had spent the time making jokes and all around goofing off. Whether they meant to or not, the boys had calmed my nerves and set me a little more at ease. If I thought about the date with Silas too much, then it got my heart racing. I still didn't know what was expected of me. Generally, I had an idea of what typically happens on a first date, I'm not completely out of touch. Hand holding, laughter, sharing stories and maybe even a kiss or two before the night is over. But just thinking about some of those things made me panic slightly. I hated not knowing what I was supposed to do and I didn't want to disappoint Silas. Was he expecting these things from me? Would Silas hate me if I did something wrong and messed up our date? Suddenly, I felt the need to lie down.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Nathan watching me. "Hey, Peanut. You okay?" Gabriel and Luke looked over at me as well, concern clearly written across their faces. Nathan deliberately rose from his spot, crossed the room and came over to sit down beside me on the bed. Carefully, he reached over and grabbed me, pulling me into the security of his lap. I snuggled in, grateful for any sort of distraction. "What's the matter sweetheart? You look like you're going to be sick." This was so embarrassing. I didn't want to tell him what was wrong, but I was the worst liar. Nathan and the others would know if I held back or fudged the truth even just a little.

"I'm just a little nervous." I explained. Did I need to go into details?

"What for? It's just a date Sang. No big deal." Luke wasn't very sympathetic towards my plight and it looked like he might even be thinking this was funny. Gabriel reached over and popped him in the back of the head. "Oww! What the hell, Gabe!" Luke sure didn't think that was funny.

"It's her official first fucking date you dick! Of course she's nervous. Don't you remember what it was like?" He was glaring at Luke. I knew that I could count on Gabriel to understand. He always just knew and it warmed me. Gabriel's eyes softened as he turned his gaze on me. "There's nothing to worry about darling. Everything is going to be fine. Silas has an awesome day planned for the two of you, trust me. Trust us." His eyes implored me to believe, to listen.

"But…" I hesitated.

Nathan squeezed me around my stomach. He leaned his head down to whisper in my ear. "Just be yourself beautiful. There's nothing to worry about. Just go and have a good time. Silas will take good care of you." As he spoke, his lips traced lightly over the shell of my ear and his breath heated my skin. It sent warm waves of pleasure down my spine. It jumbled my thoughts and made it impossible to speak. My body hummed in delight.

"Okay. Here…"Suddenly, a wad of clothing hit me in the face. "Go and put those on." Gabriel instructed.

Averse to the thought of leaving the comfort of Nathan's embrace, I slowly rose from his lap and headed towards the bathroom, clothes in hand. Once there, I took a look at what Gabe had thrown at me. It was simple enough. Just a basic soft, form fitting cotton baby pink tee and a pair of cut-off jean shorts, which were definitely not school regulation. Casual but cute. I changed quickly and headed back to my room. There, Gabe threw a box at me containing some grey, slip-on sneakers. "You don't need socks." Was all he said. Then he winked at me and jerked up his chin, silently demanding I put them on. I looked at the clock and realized that the past hour had flown by. Silas would be here in less than 20 minutes. Once again, the butterflies attacked my stomach. With shaking fingers I attempted to open the box.

Luke intercepted my unsteady movements and pulled out the shoes. "Here Sweet Pea, let me." He knelt down in front of me, dragging his right hand down the back of my leg. He tapped first my left leg and then my right, indicating when I should lift my feet. I rested my hands on his shoulder for balance. After both shoes were on Luke stood up, dragging his hands back along my legs as he rose and gripped my hips once he was all the way up. He caught my gaze and squeezed me once, shooting me a knee weakening grin. My breath caught in my throat and my heart hammered in my chest. He had to know how he affected me. It was so confusing. How could each of the boys make me feel this way? Wasn't this only supposed to happen with one boy? It seemed impossible that all nine guys could make my insides turn to jelly.

My internal ramblings were interrupted by the doorbell. Immediately, Nathan and Gabriel jumped up and ran for the door. "I'll get it!" Gabriel shouted. Nathan reached out and grabbed the back of Gabe's shirt, flinging him backwards into second place. "No, I'll get it!" Nathan laughed and ran down the stairs. I giggled as Gabriel complained about Nathan cheating and followed after him. Luke turned from watching them, and smiled warmly at me. "Come on beautiful, let's go." He grabbed my hand and threaded his fingers with mine, pulling me towards the stairs.

When we reached the top of the stairs, Gabriel sing-songed at me "Oh Sa-ang! It's for you-ou!" I could hear Nathan and Gabe snickering as Luke and I came down the stairs. Gabe and Nathan were standing in front of the open front door, with their arms folded across their chests, and mock stern expressions on their faces. It appeared that they were giving Silas, who still stood on the doorstep, a hard time.

"… and she better be back here by no later than 11 o'clock. She has a curfew you know." Gabriel was teasing Silas.

"And never leave her alone. Stay with her at all times." Nathan piped in. "And remember…"

"Keep your hands to yourself!" Nathan, Gabe and Luke chorused. This made me giggle, but Silas didn't seem very amused. He rolled his eyes in annoyance. At the sound of my muffled laughter, Silas turned his head and met my gaze. Instantly, like a light was flipped, his face lit up in a heart stopping smile.

"Aggele Mou." My name left his lips in a reverent exhalation. "I missed you." He barged between my self-appointed body guards and walked toward me, grabbing my hand from Luke's grasp. Slowly, he lifted my hand to his lips and lightly kissed my knuckles. It was very sweet, and very unexpected. Before I could contemplate his actions, Silas pulled me towards him into a toe curling hug. I could never get enough of Silas' hugs. They were perfect in every way. In one gesture, Silas was able to show me how much he cared- that he would always keep me safe.

"I missed you too, Silas." I spoke into the skin of his strong neck, my lips brushing across his warm, smooth skin. He shivered with my movement and slid his hands towards my lower back, pulling away just enough to give me a tender kiss on the cheek. His lips lingered slightly as he began to straighten and I couldn't help but to be disappointed that it didn't last longer. My cheeks heated with the thought. I couldn't look away from Silas' heated gaze. It captured me, making promises that I knew wouldn't disappoint.

"Oy!" Gabriel shouted. "You can't do that!" Upon his remark, Silas and I broke apart. The boys stood around us with looks of surprise on their faces.

"Who says?" was Silas' firm retort. "I'm doing nothing wrong." He seemed to be reminding the boys of something, but I wasn't sure what. The remark was lost on me but it seemed to snap the boys out of whatever state they were in. Silas returned his eyes to me. "I have something for you Sang. It's for today." He walked back toward the front door and picked up a gift bag from where it was hidden.

As he moved forward to hand me the bag, the tips Silas' ears tinted red. "It's just a little something for today. No big deal." But it was a big deal. I wasn't used to people giving me things, especially for no reason. Silas had bought me something, just for our date. My eyes stung with the threat of tears. Would their kindness never end? If this was a dream, I didn't ever want to wake from it. "Hurry, Aggele Mou. Open it." Silas fidgeted. Was he nervous? He always seemed so strong, so sure of himself. This wasn't like him. I opened the bag in eagerness, curious to see what Silas had brought me.

I reached through the layers of tissue paper and pulled out two things, the first being a hat of some sort. When I turned it around I noticed that it was Red Sox baseball cap, navy blue with their signature decorative 'B' front and center. I beamed at Silas. He had given me my first ball cap! Immediately, I stuffed it onto my head.

"Sang! Watch the hair for crying out loud." Gabriel lamented. He had spent quite a bit of time making my hair perfect and I felt bad about smashing all his hard work but I adored my new hat! Next I unrolled a bundle of fabric. It was a Boston Red Sox vintage remake t-shirt, in red. The print was faded and the fit seemed snug. I loved it. Silas owned a few of his own Red Sox tees and now I had my very own. A piece of Silas, for my very own. I couldn't stop smiling! It was perfect.

I held it up towards my chest to help me visualize what it would look like on. Gabriel huffed. "Oh, just go put it on already. You know you want to." I was so excited. I shot Silas a smile and ran towards the bathroom to put on my new favorite shirt. Already, this date was amazing and we hadn't even left my house yet.


	5. Chapter 5

In the bathroom, I removed the cap and jerked off my pink t-shirt, eager to wear my new Rex Sox tee. When I glanced at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but notice the grin that wouldn't leave my face. Silas had brought me a present and he'd been nervous about my reaction. It was comforting to know that I wasn't the only one anxious over our afternoon together. Somehow, that knowledge helped to calm my nerves. I replaced the cap on my head, and grabbed a hair band to place in my pocket for later.

With a deep breath in and a soothing exhale, I opened the bathroom door and made my way back to the boys. When I rounded the corner, I noticed that all their heads were close together and it seemed as if they were deep in discussion. Purposefully I stepped on a creaky board and they broke apart, looking a little guilty. Were they talking about me? What was going on? I shrugged internally- it wasn't like they would tell me.

Silas sought out my gaze, giving me a small smile, which I returned. I was ready. I could do this. Without breaking eye contact, Silas reached out and grabbed my hand, turned it over and brought it to his lips. "Ready to go, Aggele Mou?" As he spoke, his soft lips grazed the back of my hands, and when he was done speaking, Silas sweetly kissed my knuckles. I was knocked speechless. His touches were giving me the tingles, and warmth coursed through my body. He was being much more affectionate than normal and I couldn't say that I didn't like it. It made me feel wanted, desired, pretty even. I flushed at the thought. Silas gently tugged on my hand, snapping me back into the present. He grinned at me and spoke. "Come on, beautiful. Let's go have some fun." Heart rate accelerating, I followed Silas out the door. Nathan, Luke and Gabriel all reached out to touch me in some way as we passed, squeezing my arm or patting my head, and wishing us luck and telling us to have fun.

Silas guided me out to his SUV, opening the passenger door and grabbing my hips to help me in. Without fail, his touch continued to send the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzied flight. It was a wonderful feeling and I wanted more. Silas got in, and after we both buckled up, we were off. Before we had even left the neighborhood, Silas reached over and twined his fingers in mine, resting our hands on my thigh. When I glanced at his face out of the corner of my eye, I could see a satisfied smile gracing his soft lips.

Minutes later, my phone vibrated with the alert **of** multiple text messages. Using my right hand, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, a smile instantly brightening my face.

Silas peeked over at my movement. "Who is it, Aggele?" The curiosity apparent in his voice.

"Just the guys." I giggled. "They're wishing us fun, and making sure I know to be safe." Silas chuckled at that. Tenderly, Silas gave my hand a little squeeze.

"I will keep you safe, αγάπη μου ." I'm not sure what he said after his promise, but it warmed my heart and melted my bones. I adored it when Silas spoke Greek.

I cleared my throat, to help me clear my hazy thoughts. "So where are we going, Silas?" I was genuinely curious. It was exciting to think that someone had planned out a day to spend entirely with me. It was also exciting to know that we were going to be spending our date doing things that Silas enjoyed. An entire afternoon, and hopefully evening as well, devoted to learning more about him was more than I could ask for. Even after all that the boys and I had been through together, there were so many things that I'd yet to learn about each of them.

Quickly, Silas shot me a heated glance. "It's a surprise, Aggele Mou." He pulled my hand towards his lips. "But don't worry, we will have lots of fun together. Just you and me." He seemed to trail off in thought. I huffed and sat back into my seat, pretending to pout.

"Ah, ah, ah. I don't think so, Κοριτσάκι . Put that lip back before I do something we might regret." His voice had a husky edge to it, and made my belly flip. Swiftly, I sucked my lip back to where it belonged and tried to quiet the fluttering in my stomach.

Nearly twenty minutes later, we had made our way into Charleston, and pulled into a large, and fairly busy parking lot. Immediately, I noticed a patchwork of baseball fields dominating the park, and what looked like several games in play. Off to the side, out of the way of the main thorough-fare, a series of batting cages were lined up. I only knew that's what they were because a few of them were occupied by some young men decked out in their gear. I stole a peek at Silas as we stepped out of the car. He was beaming. It made me happy to know that he was in his element. My boys worked so hard, and they rarely took a day off to really spend the time doing the things that they enjoyed. Silas needed this, whatever 'this' was.

Walking around the car, Silas grabbed a big duffle bag out of the back and made his way over to me. Silas reached out and wrapped his arm around my waist, gripping me tightly in his excitement. "This way, Aggele. Let me show you my surprise." His dark eyes brightened, and his grin was infectious. Intrigued by his words, I followed him over to a man sitting in a little booth near the batting cages. Originally, I had thought we were here to watch a baseball game, so I was surprised when we had gone in the opposite direction of the fields, toward the cages. Nerves started to take hold of my body as I listened to Silas pay for several batting sessions. I'd never actually played baseball myself. Sure, I'd watched it on t.v. and seen kids mess around on the field during gym but I'd yet to pick up a ball, let alone a baseball bat.

After he paid, Silas once again gripped my hand and unexpectedly, swooped down and pressed his lips to the outside corner of my mouth. He pulled away a fraction, and kissed my temple as well, sending my heart into a tripping gallop. I was sure it would stop beating all together by the end of our day together. When I peeked up at Silas through my lashes, his eyes seemed to darken as I watched. He shook his head and smirked at me, pulling me towards the last cage in the row.

Each batting cage was nearly 12 feet wide, and nearly 5 times that in length, with a pitching machine at the far end. It was more than intimidating, and I gulped, trying to swallow my fear. Silas seemed to notice my anxiety and smiled reassuringly as he set the duffle bag down on the bench outside the cage. He reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of cleats and sat down to put them on. "Don't worry, Aggele. I'll go first. Show you how it's done." He looked up and shot me a knee weakening wink as he finished lacing up. "And then we'll see what you're made of. What do you think?" I could only nod my head in response, to which Silas let out a laugh. It'd been so long since I'd seem him look so care free.

Silas fished around in his bag once again and pulled out two batting helmets; a larger one in black, and another in bright pink, which he handed to me. It looked brand new. "This is for you, Κοριτσάκι. No need to put it on yet, but you must always wear it when you are in the cage. Understood?" His tone turned serious for a moment, and I couldn't tease him for it.

"Of course. Promise." I assured him. He nodded at me, acknowledging my response, and then he positioned his helmet on his head. Normally, I would have thought one would look silly wearing such an ugly thing on their head, but not my Silas. Somehow, it made him look even more attractive. Studying the way his muscles bunched and contracted under his skin as he grabbed a bat and strode toward the door of the cage made my mouth go dry and my heart go pitter-patter.

I watched as he entered the cage and shut the door. I couldn't look away as Silas put the bat over the back of his shoulders, gripping each end, and twisted side to side and bent over at the waist, stretching to warm up his well-defined muscles. Taking a few steps, Silas reached out with the end of the bat and pushed a big, red button on the far side of the cage. Confidently, he walked back to the plate, lined himself up and dug his feet into the dirt, creating traction. Once again, I was mesmerized by his movements. Whether he meant to or not, Silas commanded my attention and I was more than willing to give it to him. He raised the bat over his shoulder and waited for the pitch. Five pitches, five crushing hits. Silas was grace and might. He was power and strength personified. It was magnificent to behold. I cheered for him with each hit and I could see his cheeks rise in a smile. He was showing off, but I didn't mind.

Before I was ready, Silas was leaving the cage. He pulled off his helmet and shook out his dark locks. "Your turn, αγάπη μου." He moved over to the bag and pulled out a second pair of cleats, also brand new, and a pair of my socks. He'd come prepared. It surprised me that he'd put so much thought into our date. It was very sweet. Silas helped me lace up the cleats and then grabbed a smaller bat out of the bottomless duffle bag, handing it over to me with a grin. "Let's see what you've got." he teased as he gently placed the helmet on my head. I didn't want to admit my lack of experience, but I had to learn to trust them more, so hesitantly I fessed up.

"Silas, I've never done this before. I'm sorry, I don't know what to do." Instinctually, my finger rose to poke at my bottom lip. He seemed pleased at my revelation and strode over to my side.

"That's good news, Aggele Mou." He nearly cooed into my ear as he lead me into the enclosure. "Because now I have an excuse to do this." Sweetly, he grabbed my hips to position me where I needed to stand, his hands lingering several moments longer than was necessary. "And this." Silas reached around me to properly place the bat in my hands. My breathing started to accelerate. I felt like I was panting. Silas had his body nearly wrapped around mine, his front crushed into my back. I could feel him everywhere and I couldn't think. "And this." I nearly stopped breathing all together when I felt his lips dance along the shell of my ear, tickling me as he spoke, his arms still secure around mine. Ever so slowly, Silas bent his head forward and touched his slightly open mouth to my jaw. So briefly that I wasn't entirely sure that it really happened, I felt the tip of his tongue taste my skin. My heart pounded. How did he expect me to concentrate now?

Silas returned to speaking in deep tones near my ear. "Now, Aggele Mou. Focus. Never take your eyes off the ball. Feet need to remain shoulder width apart; knees bent and put your weight on your toes." I shifted my feet a little, to adjust my stance, and Silas groaned in my ear. "Sang, please stop fidgeting. You are making things very difficult for me right now."

"Sorry." I squeeked out. I could feel his chest vibrate as Silas only grunted in retort. It seemed that I wasn't the only one affected.

"Now, as I was saying, never take your eyes off the ball. When you see the pitch, swing the bat along an imaginary table top, straight towards the ball and all the way around. Make sure to follow through. It's all in the timing. It might take you a couple tries before you figure it out, but that's ok. We're just here to have fun. Got it?" I only nodded. I could do this. I was determined to make Silas proud of me. "Ok, Aggele Mou, I'm going to push the button but I'm going to come right back here and stand behind you to watch." His hands slowly dropped to my hips and he squeezed me once again, encouraging and reassuring me with his touch. He pushed the button, and I watched the light to indicate the first pitch. I fought the urge to close my eyes, and when I felt the ball was close enough I swung with everything I had, making sure to follow the rules that Silas had given me. My bat barely nicked the ball, but I'd done it! I hit the ball on my very first try. It was exhilarating! "Good job, my beautiful girl!" Silas cheered me on and it was adorable to hear his excitement for me. Giggling in my exhilaration, I nearly forgot that I had four more trys. "Watch for it, Sang. Swing a little sooner this time." And so I did. Four more balls, with three good hits and what would have been a foul ball. The red light indicated I was done, and I dropped the bat, spinning around to face Silas. I took a few steps and jumped into his waiting arms, wrapping my legs around his waist.

"I did it! I did it!" I couldn't believe that I'd actually hit the ball! I was beaming, proud of my accomplishment. "Thank you Silas, for showing me how to hit the ball. I couldn't have done it without you." In his surprise at me pretty much jumping on him, Silas had gripped me firmly on the bottom, pulling me closer toward him. "It was my pleasure, Aggele." All of a sudden, a look of determination replaced the smile on his lips. Holding onto me with one hand, he raised the other and removed my helmet, dropping it to the ground. Dark, hungry eyes captured me, and I was helpless against his burning gaze. He lowered his free hand to cup the side of my cheek and neck, his thumb stroking the soft skin along my jaw. Never blinking, he lowered his head and pulled me closer. Once his mouth was only millimeters from my own, he nuzzled my nose, as if checking to see if I was ok. When I didn't move he closed his eyes and his lips descended on mine. It was everything I could have asked for in a first kiss. Silas' sweet and tender mouth moved with my own in a dance of utter perfection. His lips captured first my top, and then my bottom lips. Tasting, teasing. Silas hesitantly pulled away, capturing my gaze once again. Whatever he saw, must have reassured him because he lowered his mouth to mine once more, this time deepening the kiss. It was heaven, and before it was over, I wanted to do it again. Silas slowed the kiss, and steadily lowered me back to the ground. Grasping the sides of my neck, Silas pulled me close and leaned his head onto mine, breathing heavily. After a few minutes, his lips found my forehead and sweetly brushed over my skin.

When Silas backed away, his smile was unmistakable. Bliss. Pure, unadulterated bliss, and I'm sure my smile reflected the same feelings. Deftly, he reached down to grasp my hand, twining our fingers together once again. Not stopping, he picked up both my helmet and the bat and pulled me from the batting cage. We stayed for another hour or so, taking turns. More than once, I gave up my turn just so I could watch Silas in his element. Occasionally, we would stop to make small talk. Things like our favorite movies and books, and our favorite classes at school- his was biology- to things like what he missed from where he grew up and what I missed from my lost relationships with my sister.

After our turn in the cages was up, Silas gathered up all our gear and stuffed it back into the duffle bag. Walking hand and hand, we headed back over to Silas' vehicle where he returned the duffle bag and pulled out a large cooler. When I gave him a questioning look, he just smiled at me and took my hand once again. Guiding me over towards the bleachers of a nearby field, Silas pulled me to the very top and nodded towards me to sit down. A game was just beginning between some teams from a local league and it looked like we were going to watch. I was excited. Live sports were always much more fun. Silas had set down the cooler on the bench below us and began pulling out containers of various foods. Sandwiches, potato salad, multiple fruits, bottled water and even what looked like a plate of brownies. He closed the lid of the cooler to create a makeshift table and told me to dig in.

Suddenly ravenous, I began to eat. Making sure to sample everything that Silas had brought. It was all so amazing and so incredibly sweet. We continued to chat as we ate and then picked teams to cheer for. I waited for Silas to gage players and decide who he wanted to root for and then just picked the apposing team for fun. It was so much fun to heckle and tease each other. It felt as if we were a real couple. Holding hands, tickling, trying to sneak glances, an occasional peck on the lips or cheek. It was perfect.

The sky well past dark, and the game coming to an end, Silas began packing up our things. I sighed in contentment, and let him lead me down the bleachers, towards the SUV. Once we were buckled up and on the road, Silas grabbed my hand, bringing it towards his lips to place a delicate kiss on my knucles.

"So, αγάπη μου. Did you have fun today?" He peeked over at me, as if he were unsure of my answer.

"Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed. "It was incredible! We have to go do it again sometime soon."

Silas couldn't hold back his ear to ear grin. "I'm glad, Aggele. This was probably the best day of my life, so far. I am so glad that you gave me the opportunity to take you out and show you what I enjoy." He squeezed my hand as if to emphasize his feelings. I was officially smitten by the man next to me. He was everything I could ever hope for. Smart, sweet, kind, gentle, protective, trusting. The list of his endearing qualities went on and on. Not to mention the fact that he had a rock hard body, and lips that hypnotized me.

Before long, we pulled into my driveway and I was sad to see our time together was up. I wasn't ready for Silas to leave. "Are you going to come in? By the looks of it, it seems that more than one of the guys is here." Silas grunted in what seemed to be irritation, but nodded his head and opened his door, hurrying around to open my door and help me out. Tightly, he gripped my hand and pulled me from the seat, pulling me up and into his arms. Sensuously, he wrapped one arm to grip my lower back, and the other wound up and settled on the back of my head, tangling in my hair.

"Aggele Mou, before we get into the house and the rest of the guys take you away from me, I just want you to know that I care for you… more than anything. If you ever need anything, I want you to call me. I don't care if you're having a bad day, good day. If you're lonely, or if one of the guys are driving you batty. Please, call me. For anything. Ok?" His eyes burned into me, begging me to acquiesce and I couldn't let him down. I didn't want to.

"I care about you too, Silas. So much. Thank you for today, for everything. I promise, I call you if I need you, and even if I don't." As soon as the words left my mouth, his lips crashed into mine. It was a kiss infused with passion and desire. Languidly, he slowed our kiss. Bringing my bottom lip, into his mouth and sucking gently. It sent shivers down my spine, and warmth pooled in my lower belly. Tenderly, he kissed me once, twice more before pulling away, wrapping his arm around my side and turning us toward my house. Already, I could hear the guys shouting and rough housing, I just hoped that nothing had been broken or damaged, especially one of the boys.

As we reached the porch, Silas bent quickly to place another sweet kiss on my lips when suddenly the door burst open to cat calls, whistles and hooting. Nathan, Gabriel and Luke burst into chorus, "Sand and Silas, sittin' in a tree… K-I-S-S-I…" abruptly they were cut off from what appeared to be North and Kota pushing them around the corner and away from the door. Immediately, my face heated in embarrassment. Silas just laughed and admitted, "Be glad that's all they did, αγάπη μου. It could have been worse. Much, much worse."


	6. Chapter 6

While drifting off to sleep later that night, tucked into North's strong embrace, I thought back on my date with Silas. I couldn't stop the smile that blossomed across my lips as I replayed our time together. Just thinking about Silas' lips pressed tenderly against my own caused a small shiver to run through my body. North, though deep in sleep, unconsciously tightened his grip pulling me closer into his broad chest. His instinctive actions to always protect warmed my soul. My feelings for him, for all my boys were so confusing. It wasn't normal, was it? To find oneself falling in love with nine very different boys, it just wasn't heard of. I huffed in exasperation at my train of thoughts. I needed sleep, and at this rate my thoughts were bound to keep me up all night. Well, at least there was one of my uncertainties that I could lay to rest.

After my first date with Silas, I was no longer worried about going out with the rest of the guys. I knew that all I had to do was be myself and to just let things happen naturally. Honestly, I was looking forward to all the adventures I was sure to have over the next couple weeks. My boys knew how to have fun and all of them had such varying interests and hobbies. I couldn't even imagine what they had in store for me over the next few weeks and my stomach flipped in anticipation, and once again, I couldn't stop my lips from breaking into a smile.

I felt North breathe in deeply behind me. As he exhaled, I heard him whisper my name with such tenderness that I could feel the tears pricking at the corner of my eyes, just threatening to spill over. What I had done to deserve the friendship and attentions from these wonderful boys was beyond me, but I was more than grateful for whatever it had been. Suddenly, my chest tightened and I found I was struggling to breathe. Love wasn't a term or action that I was very familiar with. I had never felt loved by anyone, nor had I really felt love for another. Sure, I cared about my family, but only in the ways that one felt obligated to after so many years spent enduring the same trials together. But the way I felt towards each of my academy boys, was beyond anything I could have ever imagined for myself. It couldn't be described as anything more than love. I loved these boys. In just a few short weeks they had become my entire world. I wanted to be with them always, and would do anything to make that happen. Anything.

Resolve settled my whirling thoughts. I had to trust that my boys knew what they were doing. That they understood that I didn't know what I was doing, but that I cared for each of them deeply and wanted this relationship between all of us to work. With that thought, just a little bit of the weight I had been carrying around began to fall off and I felt unbelievable lighter as I drifted off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Thursday afternoon at lunch I was sitting amongst the boys, when the subject of the dates was brought up. I had been holding a side conversation with Kota and wasn't really paying much attention to the rest of the gang when I heard several of them chuckling about heaven knows what.

"Well, shit. You can't do that! It's not fair." Luke's shouting refused to be ignored. When I glanced over, he looked beyond frustrated. All the others had varying looks of amusement gracing their gorgeous faces.

"You're just mad that you didn't think of it first!" Nathan guffawed next to Luke, who looked anything but amused. Gabriel gave Luke a half-hearted chop to the head. "Shut it, Lucian! You'll have your turn." Luke glared at Gabe for using his full name. I smiled at their playful interaction. It was never a dull moment with these boys.

Kota, noticing my distraction, grunted in annoyance at our interruption. "What are you guys talking about?"

They all turned to look at me, and then focused on Kota. Silas was the one to clue us in and as he spoke he sent me a flirty wink. "Why, the only thing any one of us twitter pated fools can talk about, of course." Several of the guys outright laughed at his declaration. By the look on his face Kota, clearly wasn't entertained. "Which is….?" He flipped his hand around in a circular motion, indicating Silas to continue.

Nathan gave Kota a look of incredulity and spoke to him like he was maybe a little slow, dragging out the words a little more than necessary. "Dating Sang." The 'duh' went unspoken. Immediately, my face flushed. They talked about dating me? With each other? It made me wonder. What other sort of things did they discuss amongst their tightly knit group?

As the snickering died down, Kota pressed for more information. "What exactly about dating Sang? What has Luke all heated?" Luke grumbled, muttering under his breath. I think I heard something about 'rules'. But I didn't have time to ponder further on those thoughts.

"Luke's just mad because he hasn't taken the time to think things through. Nothing but his own lack of creativity and forethought really." Victor sent Luke one of those Academy looks, trying to indicate some hidden meaning.

Luke scoffed at his words. " 'Lack of creativity and forethought', nothing! Our date is going to be amazing, you can be sure of that. You guys got nothing on me!" Now, Luke was grinning ear to ear. With that, North reached over and cuffed him on the back of the head, wiping Luke's smug confidence from his face. "Hey! Watch it, Bro." Luke scowled while rubbing the tender spot.

"Then shut up, Luke. If we've 'got nothing on you', then why in the hell are you freaking out like a fucking pansy. Suck it up and be a man about it." North shook his head in disappointment at his brother.

Nathan, who was still chuckling, felt the need to clarify some things for Kota and me. "Don't worry. You didn't miss out on much, Kota. Luke's just belly-aching because what I have in mind is going to take more time than we have tonight, so instead of taking Peanut out tonight," Nathan looked at me and gave me a big smile, "I'm going to push our date to tomorrow afternoon and night." School was out tomorrow due to teacher in-service meetings. While not so good for the staff of Ashley Waters, the students were all ecstatic- including me! This meant a whole extra day of spending time with my boys, so long as the Academy didn't call them in. My fingers had been crossed all week. I hated it when they were away, especially on Academy assignments.

"Luke's mad because this means his date will now take even longer to get here." Nathan snickered and rolled his eyes. I had to admit I felt a little bit bad for Luke now, knowing that he was just as excited as I was for our date. "Sorry, Man." He reached out to bump knuckles with Luke, in a 'no-hard-feelings' gesture. Grudgingly, Luke struck Nathan's fist with his own, grumbling in mock irritation the whole time.

"Sorry, Luke." His eyes softened when he looked over at me. He opened his mouth to respond, but the ringing of the bell interrupted whatever he was going to say. Groaning in protest, we cleared up our trash and gathered our belongings. As Silas grabbed my hand, I waved bye to the rest of my boys. "Come on Aggele. Let's get today over with."


	8. Chapter 8

"CANON BALL!" Luke, Nathan and Gabriel came barreling around the corner, big smiles stretched across their faces. I sat on the edge of the pool, taking a break from all the racing and flipping. As it stood, I would be fulfilling favors to the guys for the next decade, but I didn't care. For once in my life, I was really and truly happy. The boys had become my life. They were everything and I didn't know what I would do without them. I could only hope that life would stay like this for, well… forever.

Silas walked through the pool towards me, standing in between my legs and resting his hands on the edge of the pool at my sides. "Aggele mou, want to race to see who cooks dinner?" He grinned beatifically at me, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips. Silas leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"No way. I'm exhausted. I'll just concede defeat now." All the boys started laughing and cheering.

"Miss Sang, what did I say about that giggle? You have to think about the safety of our boys here. You giggle, they giggle. Next thing you know they're choking on water, people are drowning… and I can only save one person at a time. It'd be complete chaos." Dr. Sean shook his head at me in mock frustration, and it only caused me to giggle harder. I just couldn't help myself.

By now Nathan, Luke and Gabe had made their way back to the surface. "Hey sweetie, did I hear something about you making dinner? If so, I'm putting in a request."

"Oh yeah? What's that Luke?" I managed to get out.

"Taco Soup, duh! What else is there?" He reached over blindly to bump fists with Gabriel, who also didn't need to look over to make contact… it was kind of crazy, really.

"Sure, I guess. Do you have everything here, Nathan?" I looked over at him as I asked.

"Sure do, Peanut."

"Looks like today's your lucky day, Luke. Taco Soup it is!" There was a collective cheer from the group at my proclamation, which started my giggles all over again.

After bellies were full, dishes were done and pajamas were donned, we met up in the living room to start a movie and wind down for sleep. The coffee table had been pushed aside and blankets and pillows had been piled in the middle of the room. I was the last to arrive and all the guys sat around on the floor waiting for me. They all looked and smiled when I walked it, making my face tint. North patted the spot next to him. "Come here, Sang Baby. Sit by me." He reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me down next to him. Before I had even settled he wrapped his arms around me and promptly pulled me into his lap. "There." He kissed the side of my neck, causing shivers to travel up and down my body. "Much better." He whispered into my sensitive skin. Trying to cover up the reactions he was causing I burrowed deeper into the comfort of his arms.

"Oy! No fucking way are you going to monopolize Sang all night." Gabe actually looked serious. "Give her here!" He reached over and pulled me into his lap.

"Actually, Princess wants to sit with me. Don't you darling?" Victor plucked me gently from Gabriel. Something told me this was turning into a game.

"Hell no she doesn't! Isn't that right sweetie? You were planning on sitting with me, weren't you?" Luke pretended to pout as he snatched me out of Victor's lap. "Perfect." He hummed as he settled his arms around my waist.

Kota huffed next to Luke. "Give her here. I haven't had her all day." He smiled down at me as I relaxed into his embrace.

Nathan laughed, not saying a word as he snatched me for himself. He placed a sweet kiss on my forehead as we waited for Silas to steal me away.

"No fair, my Angel. He gets you to himself all day tomorrow. Come here." Silas tugged me onto his lap. As I settled myself in, he cupped my chin and gave touched his lips tenderly to mine. It was perfectly sweet and I almost felt bad for wanting to stay here, in his lap… for just a bit longer.

I was vaguely aware of the groaning. "Hey now. None of that, Silas. You're making us all jealous. Besides, you get to do this all the time. I, on the other hand," Dr. Sean continued to talk while he settled me in, "don't" Sean nuzzled my neck and I was so stunned I couldn't respond. Dr. Green had never done this before, I was shocked. We'd hugged, sure, but he'd never held me like this. Sean's arms were wrapped firmly around my waist, and I could feel the hard planes of his hard chest pressed firmly to my back. It was extremely comfortable.

"Now, now Dr. Green," All our heads turned at the sound of Mr. Blackbourne's voice. He was in the process of removing his jacket, loosening his tie and rolling up his sleeves. When had he come in? "I think if anyone needs more quality time with Miss Sorenson, we can all attest that person is me." My face burst into flames as Mr. Blackbourne settled himself next to Sean and looked at him expectantly. Hesitantly, Sean's grip on me loosened and Mr. Blackbourne's smile was nearly full blown as he stole me away. Mr. Blackbourne's grip tightened around me and it sounded like he sighed in contentment as sank further into his embrace. I couldn't believe this was happening. I peeked around his arms to look at the rest of the boys, and could see they were as shocked as I was.

"Well, were we or weren't we going to watch a movie this evening? Mr. Griffin, if you would." Mr. Blackbourne's voice left no room for questions and seemed to snap everyone into action. Nathan jumped up and inserted an action flick. Amidst the commotion of the boys rearranging bedding and making themselves more comfortable, Mr. B traced the tip of his ear along the shell of my ear, causing my breathing to hitch and my heart to race. As Nathan returned to his seat he caught my gaze, raising his eyebrows at me, asking if I was ok. I nodded minutely and settled in for what promised to be one of the best movies ever.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sanity Check**

"DOG PILE!"

I'm torn from my peaceful slumber the following morning to the shouts of Luke and Gabriel. Before I can even fully register what in the heck is going on, I'm smothered by more than one hard body, who began a relentless barrage of tickling. Their laughter drowns out my silent giggles and I struggle to pull in a decent breath. They aren't hurting me and seem to be taking extra care to support most of their own weight and while I appreciate their effort, if they don't stop soon I'm afraid I might embarrass myself in front of all my boys. But I don't have to worry for long. North comes to my rescue with all the subtlety of an air horn.

"What the fuck!? Get the hell off of her!" Immediately, the weight of the boys was gone and I was finally able to take in a full breath. "Damn it. You shit heads could have really hurt Sang. What the hell is wrong with you two?" North wasn't pleased by their charades, but then when is he ever? Secretly, I'm delighted by his protective nature. He worries about me, so I know he cares. North reached his hand down and pulled me to standing. Luke and Gabe grumbled on the other side of the room, clearly upset at North's proclivity of overprotection when it comes to all things Sang.

"We were just playing, Bro. Geez."

"Yeah man, take a fucking chill pill. Like we'd ever do anything to hurt our Trouble."

Tenderly, North cupped my cheeks, brushing his thumbs along my skin, checking me over for injuries. "Baby, are you ok? Did they hurt you?"

I shook my head in silent response. "Thanks, North. But I'm ok." I smile to reassure him. "We were just having a little fun." He scowled. I didn't like it when any of my boys were upset so I stood up on my toes and to give him a tiny peck on the cheek, hoping to see a smile. I wasn't disappointed. "I'm hungry. Should we make some breakfast? Maybe some chocolate chip pancakes? Hmmm?" I was giggling towards the end, knowing he wouldn't like my suggestion and I was full out laughing when his smile immediately turned into a grimace.

Luke had been listening and whooped in delight, running towards the kitchen with gusto. Our little performance had woken the rest of the group and they all greeted me good morning while we all sleepily stumbled our way towards the promise of food.

Silas hung back from the group, watching as his brothers made their way passed me, to make their way into the kitchen. When we were alone, he grabbed me around the waist for a good morning hug. Silas nuzzled into the crook of my neck, taking in a deep breath. "Good morning, Aggele. Did you sleep good, αγάπη μου?" Silas pulled back enough so that he could look me in the eyes. I nodded my head, and smiled.

"Yes, thank you, Silas. How-" But I was cut off. Silas' lips descended on my own. Gently, his soft lips caressed and suckled and I was putty in his hands. We hadn't had time alone since our date and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for another opportunity like this. With just a kiss, Silas was able to say so much. _You make me happy. I cherish you and will do anything to keep you safe_- he seemed to say. I hoped that he could feel the same thing from me, because it was all true.

Someone cleared their throat behind us, and I jerked away from Silas' lips and buried my face in his expansive chest, mortified to have been caught in such an intimate moment. "Princess, Luke and North are arguing over what to cook and I think that you're the only one who can calm things down. We need you in here." When I turned to look, Victor was staring at the floor and the tips of his ears were pink. He wouldn't even look at us, at me. Was he mad? How do I fix this? I wanted to groan. This adventure had barely begun, and already things were so tricky. Juggling multiple relationships was no easy feat.

I blew out an exasperated breath and Silas gripped my hand, shaking it just a little to grab my attention. "Don't worry, sweet girl. You did nothing wrong. He'll get over it. His time will come." Silas' words were meant to comfort, and while sweet they didn't make me feel any better.

Nine boys. Was I crazy to be attempting this?


	10. Chapter 10

**Nut'n Honey**

After breakfast Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Sean excused themselves for Academy business and work, giving me heart stopping hugs as the left. Mr. Blackbourne held on a little longer than usual, whispering in my ear before slowly releasing me from his arms. "Keep my team in line, Ms. Sorensen. If anyone can do it, it's you." I could only dumbly nod my head.

Sean chuckled and scooped me up into his arms. "Ok, Pookie. You have fun today, that's an order." He paused and seemed to think his words over. "Have fun, but not too much fun." He seemed reluctantly to let me go. And I was right there with him. I was really sad to see Owen and Sean leave. As a group, we were always having so much fun and it seemed that those two missed out the most. Just thinking about it made me frown.

Gabriel smacked me on my behind, snapping me out of my dark thoughts. I let out a small squeak, and moved to protect my assets from another attack."Oy, Trouble! Let's march that tiny hiney of yours home. You got another hot date to get ready for." When I turned to gape at Gabriel, he was smiling shamelessly and Luke was laughing hysterically beside him. These boys.

"Watch it, μαλάκα. You better Keep those hands to yourself, or else you'll need to learn to style her hair with your toes." Silas was unnaturally sharp, reprimanding Gabriel like he did. I wasn't sure what Silas said exactly, but the way North's head snapped around to see what was going on, I'm sure it wasn't very nice. I turned to catch Silas' eye, my brows furrowed in worry. He just shook his head at me, giving a little smirk and quickly focused his attention on wiping down the countertops. What was going on with my boys this morning?

Nathan, who was in the middle of sweeping the kitchen floor, looked up from his duties. "Gabe, we already talked about this." He sounded very impatient. "The things that I have planned for today, Sang doesn't need to get all dolled up for." Nathan looked over at me and winked, turning my insides all mushy. "She looks great just the way she is. In fact, we could head out now. Whaddya' say, Peanut? You ready to go on our 'hot date'?" He wiggled his eyebrows up and down playfully at me, causing a blush to bloom across my cheeks and a slight giggle to escape my lips. I was speechless for a moment. The way that his eyes seemed to smolder at me, was doing funny things to my body. Tingles started low in my belly, and began spreading outward. I gripped the counter in fear that my trebling knees might topple me over.

From over by the sink, Kota cleared his throat, shaking me out of my haze and focusing our attention on him. "What DO you have planned for today, Nathan? I never did get the chance to hear." Kota looked curiously over at the man in question, waiting for an answer as he dutifully washed dishes. Next to him, Victor dried a plate with a wicked smirk on his face. Obviously, he'd already heard.

Nathan just started laughing. "Nice try dude, but I'm not telling you now. It's a surprise, and it's going to stay that way. If you all want to talk about it when we're gone then that's fine by me, but" he made a motion as if he were zipping up his mouth, "my lips are sealed." He continued to smile and chuckle to himself. His behavior _was_ rather amusing. Nathan seemed lighter this morning. Usually, Nathan was a rather happy, positive person but this morning there was something 'other' about him. When he caught me peeking at him, Nathan sent me a sinful wink. I needed to get out of here before I lost all cognitive thought and seriously embarrassed myself.

"I'm ready to go when you are Gabe. Should we head out now?" I bit my bottom lip, not wanting to upset Nathan, or any of the others. The smile that Gabe shot Nathan seemed to say, 'Ha! Told you so!' He reached out and grasped my hand with his own.

"Come on, Trouble. Let's ditch these losers and go have some fun." They guys all good-naturedly shouted their disapproval as Gabe pulled me toward the front door. I didn't want to laugh, because I didn't think ANY of my boys were losers but the conspiratorial look on Gabe's face was simply adorable.

"Hey! We're coming too!" Luke jumped up from his seat and jogged after us, a big goofy grin on his face. I halted to a stop so that the others could walk with us, and Gabe huffed in annoyance. But when I peeked over at him, he smiled and winked letting me know he was just teasing.

"Yeah, wait up Princess." Victor was more subdued.

"Baby." North and Silas came around the corner followed by Kota and Nathan. "Silas, Kota and I are headed out to go work the afternoon shift at Uncle's. We'll see you later ok?" As North spoke, he wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and I was forced to drop Gabe's hand as I returned his hug. North buried his face in my neck, just breathing deeply for a few seconds. As he pulled away, his lips trailed sweet kisses up my neck. "Have fun today, baby girl. I'll be thinking about you." With those words North's lips caressed my cheek and he made room for the next person to say goodbye.

Kota cupped the sides of my face, brushing his nose against mine. It was the sweetest kind of torture. Our lips were so close; all I would have had to do was press forward an inch and our lips would finally meet. But Kota gently turned my head to the side and kissed the corner of my mouth. Pulling back, Kota captured my gaze. "Have fun with the guys. Be safe for me ok?" I nodded my head, unable to glance away.

Before I was fully able to snap out of it, Silas picked me up in one of his famous hugs. Nothing could touch me when I was in the safety of his arms. I couldn't help it when a sigh passed between my lips. My face was pressed into Silas' neck and he shivered as my breath danced over his sensitive skin. "Aggele." His voice was gruff and I understood. I was just as affected as he was. Maybe more so.

Kota, Silas and North walked out the door, saying goodbye to the others. As Victor, Luke and Gabe looked to me, I looked to Nathan asking with my eyes if he was going to join us.

"Sorry, Peanut. I'd love to join you guys but I've got some things to get ready for later." He reached out, grabbing my hands and giving them a little shake. "But I'll see you in a couple hours, Ok?"

"Ok, Honey. I'll see you soon then." I was a little more than sad that he wouldn't be joining us but I managed a small smile.

Nathan leaned in, pressing our foreheads together and spoke softly to me. "That's my girl. It's just you and me later. My Peanut and her Honey."

I couldn't wait.


	11. Chapter 11

**Blame Game**

Back at my house, I had just barely finished shaving my legs when Gabe knocked on the bathroom door. "Sang, sweetie, you almost done? I wanna' play with your hair before you leave." He didn't wait for an answer and peeked his head in.

"Gabe!" Luckily my back was turned toward the door, but honestly. Didn't these boys know a thing about privacy?

"Fuck, Trouble. What kinda guy do you think I am? My eyes are closed." Gabe harrumphed. Like he had a right to be irritated. "I didn't hear you respond. I was making sure you were ok. And besides, you forgot this…"As I turned to see what he was talking about a warm, fluffy towel hit me in the face and then bounced onto the bathroom floor.

I tried to scowl at him, but the smile on Gabe's face made it impossible. "Thank you Gabe."

"You're welcome, Beautlful. Now hurry up and get dressed." With that, he shut the door and went back to my room, I assumed, to wait for me to get dressed.

Gabe had picked out a pair of red athletic shorts and a white t-shirt for me to wear for the day. It was something I would have picked out to lounge around the house in, or maybe something I would have chosen for a run. It was very comfortable and made me curious as to what Nathan had planned for the day.

A stuffed back pack sat near my doorway, but whenever I asked about it Gabe just popped me in the thigh and told me not to worry about it. When I turned to Victor for help, he would just shake his head and smile. He wasn't any help. Luke just laughed. "No way, short stuff, I'm not spilling the beans. Nate should be here any minute. You'll find out soon enough." I just huffed in mock exasperation. They were helping each other out, I couldn't be mad about that. It was actually rather sweet that they were working to keep each other's secrets.

Luke was lying across my bed, watching Gabe as he applied my makeup. When I complained, he promised that it was only going to be a little tinted moisturizer and some mascara. "Shit Sang. You have to be the only girl I know that's ever complained about getting her hair and makeup done." Gabe continued to grumble under his breath while I focused on staring at the ceiling and not blinking. If I was able to wear lounge clothes for the date, then why did I even need makeup?

Victor was on the floor, sitting against my bed fiddling with his phone. "Are you excited, Princess?" Victor's question seemed genuine, and I bit my lip, nervous about how to answer. "Nate's got a fun day planned. You're going to have a lot of fun, promise." When I met his gaze, Victor smiled sweetly. No doubt he could tell that I was a little edgy. Victor was always so perceptive of my feelings and moods.

My finger started to push at my lip, and Gabe reached over and pulled it away. "Stop that, Trouble. You have nothing to fucking worry about. Not with us." His voice had lowered and I could have sworn I felt it pulse through my body, touching the deepest parts of me- making me feel things that I didn't have a name for. Gabe still hadn't let go of my hand, and slowly he brought it up towards his lips, pressing a warm kiss on my palm and then lying it on his cheek, covering it with his own.

From his position on the floor, Victor cleared his throat, reminding us that he and Luke were still in the room. When I met Victors' gaze, he gave me a sad smile and that helped to snap me out of whatever had just happened between Gabe and me. I dropped my hand from where it rested on Gabe. I tried to smile at Victor, but he wouldn't even look at me. This was all so confusing. I couldn't get closer to one boy without upsetting the others. Once again, I was doubting again. How were we going to make this work? It seemed impossible. Fortunately, a knock on the door broke the tension that had begun to weave its way about my bedroom.

Luke jumped up and ran toward the stairs, eager to get to the door first. Gabe slapped his hands onto my thighs a couple times before he got up and followed Luke, leaving Victor and me alone in the room.

"Victor-" I wanted to make things better between us. I hated it when any of the boys were upset with me. Why couldn't I control myself when I was around them? I feared that one day they were going to get sick of me and walk away, and I would have no one to blame but myself. They were so close, brothers in every way aside from blood. Would my attentions or lack thereof, cause rifts amongst their tightly knit group? I didn't want to be the reason that they got into fights. I'd take myself out of the picture before I let that happen.

"Don't worry about it, Princess. This is my problem, not yours. You did nothing wrong." When I didn't look convinced, he got up on his knees and walked over to sit between my legs, bringing his hands up to cup the sides of my face and neck. "Honestly, Sang. This is something that I need to get over. You did nothing wrong. Ok?" Victor's eyes were imploring, begging me to understand. Woodenly, I nodded my head once but Victor didn't seem persuaded by my deplorable performance. I didn't blame him. I was a terrible liar. "Sang, sweetheart. My beautiful girl." He was so close; I felt his heated breath dance across my lips and I poked my tongue out hoping to catch a taste. I reached up and grabbed onto Victor's wrists, pushing and pulling at the same time. How could I be allowing this moment when Nathan was downstairs waiting to take me on a date? It was enough to scramble my already jumbled brain.

Victor pulled himself closer, pressing his soft lips to the sensitive spot below my ear. My eyes closed without me telling them to. Before I had time to process the gamut of sensations his kiss had created, he started to speak. "Princess." His lips brushed over my sensitive skin and I trembled from his touch. "I am so sorry. I don't want you to blame yourself. This is all me. I need to work this out. I knew what I was getting into from the very beginning. I would do anything to keep you. Please, don't let my selfish reactions make you doubt yourself. I couldn't bear it. Please." Victor trailed his lips towards the corner of my mouth, where he stopped. "Please, Princess." He seemed to be asking for more than my forgiveness, but I was at a complete loss as to what he wanted. My brain almost felt detached from my body. I couldn't think, only feel.

Victor's lips were so soft and so sweet as he pressed them to the corner of my mouth. I was almost disappointed that he hadn't kissed me on the lips. But Victor always knew what I needed and he understood that now wasn't the time to take things further between us. Not yet, but soon.


End file.
